Scotts weed & feed killed my fescue lawn - other suggestions?

16 years ago

I bought some Scotts weed and feed, applied it to some test areas of my fescue lawn and it completely killed the weeds AND all of the grass. I carefully read the instructions before applying and followed directions. One thing I noticed is it said it cannot be applied to newly seeded lawns. I created/seeded my lawn summer of 2006 and did some overseeding of it in Spring 2007 and it's all nice and thick.

Has anyone experienced this kind of thing and have suggestions of a better product that shouldn't kill my fescue? They typically sell this stuff in big bags so I don't want to keep buying different ones and trying them wasting $$.

I have some weeds sprinkled in my lawn and don't want them to get out of control.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

turf_toes
16 years ago
Don't buy weed and feed products.

If you need a fertilizer, get a fertilizer.

If you need a weed killer, get a weed killer.

Weed & Feed products are a marketing scam, in my opinion.
Billl
16 years ago
I don't know if I would call them a scam, but they just aren't that useful.

As far a the lawn burning, are you sure you followed the directions? How hot was it? Did you water? How much did you apply to how big of an area?
Related Discussions
Should I use Scotts 'Weed and Feed' or '#2' ?
Q
Comments (3)
Way to go lamcon. The Weed Hound is a GREAT tool! I wish I had stock in that company. I used to do everything wrong, too. Then I started reading here and, after a few hundred posts of people having success with this or that technique, I came to realize that the cultural practices of "proper" watering and mowing are really the main part of turf care. I just never knew what "proper" was. I thought I knew from reading all the books and magazines but they were mostly wrong and/or confusing. It is as simple as 1-2-3. Here is the 1-2-3 of lawn care that I have learned here. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds. Mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 5 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above. I fertilize on the federal holidays because they are easy to remember. Using chemical fertilizers in the north you can fertilize on Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. Since I use organic and I live in the south, I start on Washington's Birthday and also fertilize on the 4th of July. But don't ever apply chemical ferts in the heat of summer...only organic.
...See More
Will Scott's weed and feed damage my conifers?
Q
Comments (19)
Many issues being tripped over here. But let me just repeat....for the specific purpose of killing broadleaved weeds in turf, the weed and feed products trade convenience for efficiency. The efficiency that is being lost is not on the part of the person doing the application, or the person who happens to own the property. No, the inefficiency is on the part of the herbicidal portion of the product-very little of it getting to where it can do its job. Fill up a canister sprayer with a liquid formulation of the very same herbicides and you will achieve far greater weed control while using perhaps 10% of actual active ingredient. That's what I'm saying. Whether or not to use these materials is a topic for another day, but if one must, then please, let's use those formulations that go to their targets, not those like this one, so-called weed n feed, where most of the herbicide never even targets the plants we wish to target. Most of it ends up washing down into the drains and on into our waterways. without getting into a finger-pointing exercise, any amount of this going on should be considered a problem, should it not?
...See More
Zebra STRIPES in lawn after Scotts Weed and Feed! Please help!
Q
Comments (136)
If you read my latest comment, that sums it up. Since my last application, I have no green striping this time after removing the Edgeguard assembly and walking at a decent rate to get the fertilizer to spread and go over the wheels. The spreader wheel is angled up, so it easily goes over the wheels, but not if you walk too slow. The Edgeguard is in the way of the spread and when the fertilizer hits it, it just drops and creates the green lines because of over fertilization. Other spreaders have a guard that drops down when needed, but out of the way when not. Remove the 4 handle bolts, pull the hopper off the wheel shaft and the Edgeguard assembly will pop off with a little force. Removed the Edgeguard lever assembly and cable and reassemble. I ran a pattern test on my paved driveway and it all looked good. The key is to walk a decent speed, too slow and you won't get the proper spread.
...See More
Can I use Scott's weed/feed from former FL home on Fescue lawn in NC
Q
Comments (7)
It may be easier to look at the composition. one part will be the KPN ratios. Based on the three article below it looks like it would be a mistake to use the Bonus (Weed and Feed) on fescue. This is the label https://www.scotts.com/sites/g/files/oydgjc106/files/asset_images/products/Scotts/lawn_fertilizer/feed_and_control_weeds/pdf/Step_2_10_12.pdf Bonus.d https://www.scotts.com/sites/g/files/oydgjc106/files/asset_images/products/Scotts/lawn_fertilizer/feed_and_control_weeds/pdf/bonuss_atrazine.pdf Atrazine https://www.gardenguides.com/111420-atrazine-lawn-herbicide.html
...See More
metal
16 years ago
Correction-You killed your fescue lawn by misapplying Scott's Weed & Feed. Believe it or not, they sell a few bags of this stuff each year, and if it killed fescue when used correctly, you can be there would be a thousand threads here and everywhere else just like yours. What type of spreader did you use, did you calibrate it before using? Was the weather correct (not too hot). You can't just say you put it down and it died, there has to be a reason and we can pretty quickly "weed" out that it isn't the Scott's.
Wayne Reibold
Original Author
16 years ago
Temps were in the low-mid 70s during day and low 50s at night when applied, only applied it in test areas, followed directions that stated to water down lawn before applying, lightly applied only in test areas (e.g., 2' x 2'), did not water for a couple of days after that (if I recall correctly it stated don't water after that so the granules stay stuck to the weeds).

Believe me, I followed the directions. The only clue I had on the packaging about what may have happened is the fescue isn't established enough, although at least some of it should be considering it was planted from seed and thriving the summer of 2006, just some overseeding to fill in spring 2007. I think the packaging says don't apply until you've mowed new grass at least a few times but my lawn had been mowed many times more than that.
alex_7b
16 years ago
I've been told by lawn care professionals that "weed 'n feed" products are not to be used when the soil is hot (late summer). They kill everything. These are early summer products that follow the "pre-emergence" treatments of springtime.
vtec
16 years ago
I think that Scotts weed and feed in particular is junk.
dchall_san_antonio
16 years ago
Thank you for the warning. Weed and feed products do not normally produce the results you are looking for, but they don't normally kill the turf.
grittymitts
16 years ago
I bought about $130. worth of Weed 'n Feed a few years ago- used as directed with very poor results. Contacted Scott's and they sent a check for full refund after I gave them the SKU numbers on the bags.

Suzi

Scotts weed & feed killed my fescue lawn - other suggestions?

Comments (8)

turf_toes

Billl

Related Discussions

metal

Wayne Reibold
Original Author

alex_7b

vtec

dchall_san_antonio

grittymitts

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Scotts weed & feed killed my fescue lawn - other suggestions?

Comments (8)

turf_toes

Billl

Related Discussions

metal

Wayne ReiboldOriginal Author

alex_7b

vtec

dchall_san_antonio

grittymitts

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Wayne Reibold
Original Author